Independent journalism on fracking, onshore oil and gas and the reactions to it

Legal agreement on first Notts shale site expected late Jan 2017

A legal agreement required for final planning consent for Nottinghamshire’s first shale gas site is due to be completed by the end of January 2017.

The scheme, at Springs Road, Misson, was approved by the county council’s planning committee on 15 November 2016. Details

Councillors voted by seven to four in favour of the application for two exploratory shale gas wells.

But the approval was subject to a legal agreement, known as a Section 106. This required:

Designated route for all heavy goods vehicles serving the shale gas site

Code of conduct followed by all HGV drivers

All damage caused by vehicles would be the responsibility of the applicant, the IGas subsidiary, Dart Energy (East England) ltd

Provision of a restoration bond

Establishment of a community liaison committee

Monitoring of water levels near the site

The target date for finalising the agreement had been set for 5 January. But Nottinghamshire County Council said today this had been moved back to “allow more time to draw up the various elements of the draft agreement”.

Once the Section 106 agreement has been concluded the planning permission will be issued.

The permission includes 37 separate conditions, covering issues such as noise, dust and lighting. Some of the conditions will need separate plans that must approved before work can start.

The Springs Road permission does not include consent for fracking.

Another Nottinghamshire shale gas site, at Tinker Lane, is expected to be decided in early 2017.

This report is part of DrillOrDrop’s Rig Watch project. Rig Watch receives funding for travel and accommodation from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust. More details here